Study of processes for comprehensive uses of the lignocellulosic biomass

Resumen

The energy crisis derived from the imminent depletion of the fossil resources and the massive dependency of these feedstocks is leading to plenty of important implications at economic, social and environmental scale. These issues evidence the need of use of other sources for energy and commodities production. In this sense, the biorefinery appears as the best solution for the sustainable obtaining of a wide spectrum of marketable products and energy. The present study proposes the lignocellulosic biomass as raw material for the development of a technology based on the use of renewable and available vegetal resources. In this sense, different lignocellulosic feedstocks, derived from agricultural, industrial and forestall activities, have been analyzed as potential raw materials for the biorefinery. Their suitability as source of value added products has been evaluated by means of the application of different pretreatment process, separation and purification techniques. The effect that the applied processes had on the physicochemical properties and subsequently on the potential use of lignin, the main by-product of biorefining processes, has been assessed, achieving some biorefining guidelines for the obtaining of specific lignin characteristics. Moreover, and with the aid of simulation and optimization computer tools, different biorefinery designs have been proposed and their suitability, in terms of use of chemicals, products yields and savings in energy and utilities consumptions, have been proved.